The letters in the margin of the Commentary denote the sources from which the words are drawn:

editorial passages.

the Matthæan Logia.

the Second Gospel.

quotations from the Old Testament borrowed from a collection of Messianic prophecies. See pp. lxi f. Palestinian traditions.

passages in which Mt. and Lk. agree closely, borrowed from an unknown source or sources.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO

S. MATTHEW.

A.-I. II. BIRTH AND INFANCY OF THE MESSIAH.

I. 1-17. His Genealogy.

1. 1. Book of the generation of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son E of Abraham.] Bißλos yevéσrews is clearly borrowed from Gn 24 LXX. So far as the Hebrew of that passage is concerned, "These are the generations," etc., would seem to close the preceding section. But it is probable that the LXX translator connected it rather with 24b-426. This section contains J's narratives of the creation of man, of the garden, of the Fall, of the birth of Cain and Abel, and of the descendants of Cain down to Lamech; ending with the births of Seth and of his son. yéveσS here, therefore, covers the genealogy of mankind from Adam to Seth, and includes a good deal of narrative-matter relating to this period. In Gn 51 Bißλos yevéσews occurs again, and here covers the genealogy of Adam as far as Japheth (532), with an appended history containing an account of the wickedness of men in the days of Noah (61-8). In 69 occurs the shorter superscription avraι δὲ αἱ γενέσεις Νῶς, introducing the account of the Flood, 69929. In ιοί αὗται δὲ αἱ γενέσεις τῶν υἱῶν Νῶε introduces a list of the descendants of Noah, with an appended narrative of the tower of Babel (111-9). In 1110 avrai ai yevéσes Zýμ introduces a list of the descendants of that patriarch to Terah; and in 1127 a similar formula ushers in the descendants of Terah. It is therefore clear that to a Jewish Christian writer acquainted with the LXX, ἡ βίβλος γενέσεως, οι αὗται αἱ γενέσεις, was a biblical phrase which might be used to describe a narrative containing, as in the case of Noah, a list of descendants, and some account of the life of the person named. In strict analogy we should expect Bißλos yevéσews

E

'Aẞpaáμ. But, since for the editor the main interest centred in the person of Christ rather than of Abraham, it was not unnatural for him to depart from literary usage in this respect. It seems probable that the title should be taken as covering not the whole Gospel, but only that portion of it which gives Christ's ancestry and the circumstances of His birth and childhood.

Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.] This collocation is rare in the Synoptic Gospels. It occurs here, 118? 1621 Mk 11 only. Also in Jn 117 173 Xpíoros has become a proper name, and lost its adjectival force. For the history of Xpíoros as a Messianic title, see Dalm. Words, 289 ff.-viov Aaveid] For "Son of David" as a title of the Messiah, see Dalm. Words, 319 ff.—viov 'Aßpaáμ] Cf. He 216 σπέρματος ̓Αβραὰμ ἐπιλαμβάνεται. The descent of the Messiah from Abraham is emphasised in Test. Levi 8. Cf. Volz, Jud. Eschat. 216.

The genealogy which follows was probably compiled by the editor for the purpose of his Gospel. (a) In accordance with this purpose he carries back the genealogy to Abraham, the first founder of the Jewish race. (b) He inserts details which are out of place in a strict genealogy, but which are in harmony with the theme of his Gospel, e.g. ἐκ τῆς Θάμαρ, ν.3; ἐκ τῆς Ῥαχάβ, ν.4; ἐκ τῆς Ῥούθ, ν.5; ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου, ν.. These names are probably introduced as those of women, in whose case circumistances were overruled by the divine providence which, as it might have seemed, should have excluded them from a place in the ancestral line of the Messiah. They were in a sense forerunners of the Virgin Mary. (c) The division into three groups of fourteen names also has its purpose. In David the family rose to royal power (Aaveid Tòv Baσidéa, v.). At the Captivity it lost it again. In the Christ it regained it.

For the names in the genealogy the compiler naturally had recourse to the Old Testament so far as that availed him. He appears to have used the LXX text.

13-16

V.2 comes from 1 Ch 134 21, v.3 from 1 Ch 24. 5. 9, vv.4-6a from 1 Ch 210-13, vv.6b-11 from 1 Ch 35. 10-15, vv. 12. 13 to ZopoBaße from 1 Ch 317-19. The names in vv.1 come from an unknown source, probably from information received from Christ's relations.

2. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren.] ̓Αβραὰμ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰσαάκ, from 1 Ch_134 καὶ ἐγέννησεν ̓Αβραὰμ τὸν Ἰσαάκ. In the next clause jlakóß comes from 1 Ch 134, where the Heb. has "Israel." This is at the outset a hint that the compiler is using the LXX rather than the Hebrew.—Ἰούδαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ] The compiler borrows 'lovda from 1 Ch 21, and then summarises the brethren whose names are there given as τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ. The fact

that he mentions the brethren at all suggests that he has this verse in Chronicles before him.

I

3. And Judah begat Phares and Zara from Tamar; and Phares E begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram.] Clause a is from 1 Ch 2a kai Θαμὰρ ἡ νύμφη αὐτοῦ ἔτεκεν αὐτῷ τὸν Φάρες καὶ τὸν Ζαρά. The fact that the compiler adds καὶ τὸν Ζαρὰ ἐκ τῆς Θάμαρ, which is quite superfluous in a genealogy proper, shows that he had 1 Ch 24 before him. Zapá is the Septuagintal form of n. On the editor's special reason for mentioning Tamar, see above.-'Eopup] In 1 Ch 2o B has 'Eσepov, A Luc. 'Eopóp. In 1 Ch 25 B has Αρσών, Βatbt Ἑσρών, A Luc. Εσρώμ. Elsewhere Εσρώμ is peculiar to A Luc., never appearing in B. Its use in Mt. shows that the compiler was using Septuagintal forms, and not transliterating the Hebrew.-'Apáμ] In 1 Ch 29 'Apáμ appears as a son of Εσρώμ.

4. And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; E and Naasson begat Salmon.Apáμ] In 1 Ch 210 B has 'Appáv, but A Luc. 'Apáμ.-'Apuvadáẞ] In 1 Ch 210 B has 'Apevadáß, but A Luc. 'Αμιναδάβ. Ναασσών and Σαλμών come from 1 Ch 210. 11. They are the Septuagintal forms of in and y.

5. And Naasson begat Boes from Rahab; and Boes begat lobed E from Ruth; and Iobed begat Jessai.]-Bóol] In 1 Ch 211. 12 B has Boos, but A Luc. βόοζ.—ἐκ τῆς Ῥαχάβ] For the insertion, see on v.1. 'Paɣáß is not a Septuagintal form. This version uniformly has 'Paáß. However, Josephus has 'Paxáẞn or 'Paáẞn, Ant. v. 8, 11, 15. The editor adopts here a form which represents the Hebrew more nearly than Ῥαάβ. Ἰωβήδ and 'Icoσaí are the Septuagintal forms of iy and or. They come from a Ch_212, where B has Ωβήδ and A Ἰωβήδ.

6. And Jessai begat David the king.] The insertion of "the E king," which was perhaps suggested by ẞaríλevoev, 1 Ch 3* or by Ru 422 LXX A, marks the close of the first division of the genealogy. At this point the family obtained royal power. Aaveid is the Septuagintal form. For Tov Baoiλéa, cf. also Jos. Ant. v. ix. 4:-"From Obed came Jessai, and from him David the king (o Baoiλevoas), and left the sovereignty to his sons for twenty-one generations. I thought it necessary to recount the history of Ruth, because I wished to show the power of God, that He can advance even the ignoble to splendid dignity; such as that to which He brought David, though born of such parents."

of Uriah; and The LXX A B Ροβοάμ is the

6, 7. And David begat Solomon from the wife Solomon begat Roboam.] 1 Ch 35. 10-oλouova] has Σαλωμών, Luc. Σαλομών, Josephus Σολομών. Septuagintal form.—ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρείου] Perhaps suggested to